Organized Crime Essays

Organized Crime Essays Organized Crime Essay Organized Crime Essay Organized crime can be a number of different types of things. According to Lyman Potter, (2007), â€Å"The NCIS describes organized crime as having four salient attributes: An organized crime group contains at least three people; The criminal activity the group engages in is ongoing and indefinite in duration; The group is motivated by a desire for profit or power; and, The group commits serious criminal offenses†(p. 15). The group we chose is the American Mafia families of New York City. This mafia family has been the top of organized crimes in New York City since 1930. There are five different families and they all have their own kind of power over the part of the city they live in. Organized Crime Group Analysis The America Mafia families of New York have one goal in mind and this goal is to make a profit off the weakness of other individuals in our society. The American Mafia family of New York has killed an estimated number of 400 people over a period of time. The American mafias ran several illegal operations that included charging high interest for loans and hard paybacks for not returning the money they borrowed. These mafia families describe themselves as more of businessmen instead of gangsters because they ran a lot illegal businesses. The families killed or do other criminal activities to make a profit to help support the mafia. Prohibition provided the families with the majority of their wealth in the past and in the current future. In the past Prohibition included manufacturing alcohol or other liquors. These families gathered raw materials for marketing and paid police for the freedom to avoid interference with their operations. In the past they sold alcohol, which they called rot- gut to make a profit. According to Messick (1972), â€Å"In those first years the Mafia in America was similar to the Mafia in Sicily; it preyed on nonmembers among its own countrymen. Immigrants unaccustomed to the laws, traditions, and language of the United States were easy victims of extortion and could be forced to contribute a percentage of their small earnings as they had done in the old county. † (Pg. 11). The American Mafia family made a majority of the profits from victims that were weak and that could be taken advantage of. These mafia families fought in streets over street corners and used brass knuckles hen needed. This mafia family used strong-armed goons to provide use in prohibition when distributing drugs or hurting other individuals that took advantage of them. This group includes a group of criminal syndicates that engaged in counterfeiting, prostitution rings, and drug distributions. Today these criminals organize illegal activities with the Sicilian Mafia to remain one of the l argest mafia families. Various Business Interests When people think about organized crime groups, in particular the mafia, they generally think about violence and murder. These thoughts would be legitimate in regards to affiliation to the mafia. The mafia, the American Mafia in particular, has changed over the years in regards to business interest. The one thing that has not changed is the fact that all the activities are generating from illegal business and crime based activities. Business interest and principles have transitioned with time in the American Mafia families. During the 1930s Charles â€Å"Lucky† Luciano and his allies, which included Jewish crime boss Meyer Lansky, were at the top of the New York crime scene. The older mafia bosses focused on settling old vendettas, not on making money. Luciano and Lansky concentrated entirely on making money and killed anyone who got in their way. (law. jrank. org, 2010) That point isn’t to misconstrue what the mafia stood for. The mafia still worked to earn money, but the focus wasn’t geared entirely on what the next business venture would be. It was more of a power and respect issue early on. The same still holds true, but years ago, it meant more to the group to prove a point and throw around their weight. The groups didn’t care if they were seen and known. In present day, it is more beneficial for the organized groups to run efficiently, but more so behind closed doors. Some major interest that the American Mafia has been focused on is gambling, loan sharking with very high interest rates, prostitution, and drug distribution. Labor racketeering was another popular criminal activity. Members of the groups worked their way into positions of power in a labor union and then stole from the union’s retirement and health funds. (law. jrank. org, 2010) Organized crime groups have become very business savvy and managed to masks their illegal activities behind very legitimate business fronts. There have been all types of business ventures that were financed with illegal monies from organized crime groups. In an article focusing on the Rochester Family of Rochester, New York, it detailed activities of Angelo Morachino. Morachino ran a construction company that specialized in fraudulent contracts and corrupting labor officials. Rosario Chirico, a member of the same mafia family, specialized in operating a stolen car ring and providing weapons for the gang. He removed serial numbers from guns and fitting them to silencers. (www. americanmafia. om,1999) Business interest for the American Mafia families has been totally based around money. The basis for the criminal activities has been inspired by the greed and love of money. If there is no gain to be made then the interest of the American Mafia probably has not been there. Conclusion Organized crime and the Mafia’s have been around for many centuries, it will be very hard to completely take them out of commission. Thes e groups are around for much reason, to give people product or control over things that they can’t get legally. They use their power to have control and wealth so they can support themselves and their families. The members of the American Mafia had to do many things to earn certain roles that they hold. They did not care if they had to hurt anyone to get there; they just knew what they had to do to succeed for their Mafia. Until we can find a way to prevent some of these illegal things from going on in our cities, then the organized crime groups and the Mafia’s will continued to do what they have to do to keep their groups going. References Goldblatt, Burt Messick, Hank. The Mobs and the Mafia. (1972). Toronto, Canada: Fitzhenry Whiteside Limited.